Get medication organised in time for August Bank Holiday

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Published:07:00Wednesday 10 August 2016

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The NHS 111 number receives a large amount of calls on a Saturday from people who have run out of their prescriptions and the service is reminding patients to check they have enough medication before the August bank Holiday at the end of this month.

Doctors across Sussex are making the plea, and giving those on regular medications enough time to get organised for the long weekend.

Your GP surgery will be closed from August 27 to August over the August 29 over the Bank Holiday weekend

Latest figures continue to show that one in four calls to the urgent GP out of hours service on a Saturday is due to people running out of routine medication, and this bank holiday the local NHS wants to make sure that service is available for those that urgently need it.

Due to the bank holiday weekend there will be a three-day period when GP practices will be unavailable, and so people are being asked to check their medications and make sure they have enough to last over this time.

The message is: Check your medicines supplies – have you got enough?

Order your repeat prescription from the surgery or pharmacy by Monday, August 22 if you will need medicines before September. Talk to your pharmacy if you need help with repeat medicines or for more information

Dr Mark Reynolds, IC24 medical director, said,

“Out of hours doctors are available for people who need urgent medical help and treatment; the service is not designed for more routine problems like repeat prescriptions.

“At the moment, the NHS 111 phone lines are busy at the weekend with people who need repeat prescriptions, with hundreds of people calling for medicines that they have run out of.

“We want to do all we can to make sure that the right teams are available when you really need NHS help, and we can make sure you get the support you need.”

“Coastal West Sussex, as an area, has one of the highest rates of calls to NHS 111 from people because they have run out of routine medication, and we want to change that.

“As we approach a three day period when your normal GP practice will not be available, we want to make sure that NHS services are available for people who need help, and you don’t have to wait any longer than necessary if you are trying to get an appointment with an out of hours doctor.